2 more arrests made in teen's 2006 slaying

July 31, 2008|By TOM MOOR Tribune Staff Writer

MISHAWAKA -- A man and a woman wanted in connection with the slaying of a 16-year-old in April 2006 were taken into custody Wednesday afternoon shortly after a SWAT team surrounded a home in which they were living. Jason Reeves, 31, and his girlfriend, 31-year-old Clover Smith, were removed from the house in the 600 block of Christyann Street about 3:30 p.m. without incident. Reeves was charged with conspiracy to commit murder, a Class A felony, and Smith was charged with assisting a criminal, a Class C felony. Charged but still at large is Jason Reeves' brother, 28-year-old Jermaine Reeves. He also has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder in the case. The Reeveses are known friends of Larry Mitchell, who was convicted of Ja-Vonda Tharbs' murder in December 2007, in part because of evidence introduced at Mitchell's trial involving the movements of Jermaine Reeves' cell phone. Terry N. Waddell, 21, who was charged in April, was also accused of conspiracy to commit murder in the case. Waddell, who is the half-brother of the Reeveses, faces up to 50 years in prison if convicted. All three men accused and Mitchell are believed to be part of the "Lakeside Gang." On the night of April 29, 2006, Mitchell is accused of firing three shots into the Beacon Heights apartment on the city's west side and shooting Ja-Vonda. Prosecutors referred to a history of feuding between two families as the motive for Ja-Vonda's killing. That began with the May 4, 2003, shooting death of Jaron Groves, who was a cousin of Ja-Vonda's. Groves was shot by Jason Reeves, who was acquitted of murder charges in the case but pleaded guilty to a related handgun violation and was sentenced to prison. Shortly after Jason Reeves' release from prison on April 26, 2006, the Reeveses' mother, Kay DeBerry, survived a shooting in her South Bend home that police believe was intended for Jason Reeves in retaliation for Groves' death. Waddell reportedly made some comments that revealed he, too, believed the Groveses and Tharbses were to blame for the shooting, according to prosecutors. A day after DeBerry was shot, Ja-Vonda's sister, Al-Vonda Tharbs, told Waddell that she was glad his mother was shot. Waddell replied that he believed Al-Vonda's family "had something to do with her shooting," and he threatened Al-Vonda with a gun, according to prosecutors. Two days after that, in the early morning hours of April 29, Ja-Vonda was shot three times in Al-Vonda's apartment while waiting for a ride to an after-prom activity. Police believe she had been mistaken for her sister. Waddell's girlfriend at the time told investigators that Waddell left her home a few hours before Ja-Vonda was shot. Clover Smith told police she believes Waddell and Jermaine Reeves borrowed a car she had rented that weekend to make their way to Al-Vonda's Beacon Heights apartment and that Jason Reeves never left her house. Using records of phone calls made from Jermaine Reeves' cell phone that night, prosecutors were able to track the location of Reeves' cell phone to the vicinity of Al-Vonda's apartment. Mitchell admitted to prosecutor's in an earlier statement that the Reeveses and Waddell were there when he shot Ja-Vonda Tharbs. Mitchell said they met at Smith's home before going to the Beacon Heights apartment. On Wednesday, police were called to the home on Christyann Street, just northeast of downtown in Mishawaka, after police learned that Jason Reeves and Smith were living there. Mishawaka Assistant Police Chief Mike Samp used a bullhorn outside the home to tell Reeves, who was inside, to put down a baby and come out of the house, while members of the SWAT team stood by. A short time later, Reeves came out with his hands up. Police ordered him to the ground at gunpoint, and the man was then handcuffed and placed in the back of the squad car. An officer carried out the baby. Smith and a child emerged from the home earlier without incident. Jason Reeves did not put up a fight, either, Samp noted, and he was taken to the Metro Homicide Unit for questioning. More than 20 police cars, along with about a dozen SWAT team members, were on the scene. Anyone with information on Jermaine Reeves' whereabouts is asked to call Metro Homicide at (574) 235-5009 or Crime Stoppers at (574) 288-STOP. Staff writers Erin Blasko and Pablo Ros contributed to this report. Staff writer Tom Moor: tmoor@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6555